I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of shafts and shaft attachments and more particularly to systems and methods for removing various types of shaft attachments that have become stuck to the respective shaft.
II. Description of the Related Art.
In various fields of practice involving any type of shaft that has a shaft attachment around the shaft, the respective shaft can become rusted, frozen or otherwise stuck within the attachment. In many instances, the shaft can be struck with an instrument such as a hammer to remove the shaft from the attachment. In other instances, the entire shaft-attachment unit can be discarded. However, in many fields, it is not desirable to strike the shaft or to throw away the entire unit. For example, in the automotive field, many vehicles have constant velocity joints (CV joints) in the wheel hub. The CV joints typically include an outer CV  axle joint having a spline shaft. The spline shaft is held within the wheel hub that has a series of elongated notches to receive the splines of the shaft. Due to normal use, CV joints wear out and must be replaced. Over a period of time, the spine shaft of the CV joint becomes frozen within the hub attachment, typically from the prolonged exposure to moisture and road grit. In most practices, the shaft must be struck with a hammer to remove the shaft from the hub.